Rock Oldsters Still Draw A Crowd

1996 will likely go down in rock history as the year of the dinosaur.

Jurassic rock has been constantly pounding on Eastern Washington in recent months. The Gorge has been especially hit with a throng of acts. Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Doobie Brothers, the Moody Blues, Crosby Stills and Nash and Chicago have all played there this summer.

Sunday, the latest dinosaurs to assert their presence at The Gorge are Styx and Kansas.

The current incarnation of Styx features Dennis DeYoung (vocals and keyboards), Tommy Shaw (guitar and vocals), James Young (guitar) and Chuck Panozzo (bass).

The only member from Styx’s heyday who won’t be present is drummer John Panozzo, who died July 16 of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage. He had suffered from cirrhosis of the liver as a result of chronic alcoholism.

Styx broke the same way most musicians have - with just one hit, “Lady.” The song appeared on the band’s 1973 album, “Styx II.” But because that album was released on a small independent label, it almost went unnoticed by radio programmers until Styx fans began bombarding a Chicago radio station with requests for the song. Eventually, it became a Top-10 smash.

After spawning that huge hit, Styx was signed by A&M, which released the band’s major-label debut, “Equinox,” in 1975.

In 1977, the band’s popularity erupted with “The Grand Illusion,” which contained the hits “Come Sail Away,” “Fooling Yourself” and “Miss America.” And so began the band’s unprecedented string of four consecutive triple-platinum albums (3 million copies sold). The streak included “Pieces of Eight,” “Cornerstone” and “Paradise Theatre.”

Of all of the group’s recordings, “Paradise Theatre” is the one Styx album that stands out as the best, hence the name of their summer tour, “The Return to Paradise Theatre.” It was also the band’s only album to vault to No. 1.

“Paradise Theatre” was a concept album, building on the theme of the closing of the historic Paradise Movie Palace in Chicago and comparing it through song to the human condition at the time. “Too Much Time on My Hands” and “Best of Times” were among the album’s hits.

The band unplugged its amplifiers in 1984, and its members pursued solo careers. Dennis DeYoung released a handful of strong-selling albums. And Shaw teamed up with Ted Nugent to form Damn Yankees.

Styx reformed in 1990, though without Shaw, and released “The Edge of the Century.”

In 1995 Shaw re-joined the band and helped compile Styx’s first greatest hits package, “Greatest Hits: Volume 1.” That album was followed by “Greatest Hits: Volume 2,” which was released in June.

Joining the band on Sunday is Kansas, a popular prog-rock combo from the ‘70s. Three of the band’s hits, “Carry On Wayward Sun,” “Point of Know Return” and “Dust in the Wind,” remain staples of classic rock radio.

Although the band’s career reached its pinnacle in the late ‘70s, Kansas has remained virtually intact and continued to tour.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CONCERT Styx and Kansas will perform at The Gorge at 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $34.15 and $23.65, available at Ticketmaster outlets (Pay Less Drug Stores at University City, Northgate, downtown and South Regal) or call (509) 735-0500.